Various devices have been proposed for protecting aircraft and pilots from hazards encountered during flight. For example, to protect military aircraft and pilots from ground fire, various types of aircraft armor have been suggested, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,287,910 to De Rosa and 1,564,354 to Junkers. To protect aircraft windshields from ice, snow and insects, several types of windshield deflectors have been proposed, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,823,072 to Podolan and 3,215,377 to Jarecki. To protect jet engines from ingesting foreign objects kicked up during takeoff and landing, an intake screen covering the engine intake during takeoff and landing has been suggested, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,814,454 to Atkins et al.
Various aircraft equipment, such as antennas and radomes, are located on the lower fuselage of an aircraft aft of the landing gear. This equipment is subject to strike damage by foreign objects, such as rocks, dirt, and debris, which are kicked up by the landing gear during takeoff and landing. Accordingly, there has been a need for a foreign object deflector to protect against this type of strike damage.